Changing Faces
by Hexe
Summary: AU. Growing up is hard enough without having the added problems of being different. A certain group of very special youngsters is about to discover just how hard it can be. Sequel to Young Slayers.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: all characters from the show Buffy the Vampire Slayer belong to Joss Whedon etc  
  
Authors note: Okay, this is the sequel to Young Slayers, and it is a very good idea for anyone who has not read that to do so before starting this. Also, reading 'Before the council: Buffy' wouldn't be a bad idea, but is not necessary. Yes, anyone who had been reading Young Slayers, this and Chapter two used to be chapters 23 and 24 of that fic, but people suggested, and I agreed, that the end of chapter 23 made a good end to that story, and the old title really did not work anymore, and that chapter marked a turning point in the lives of the characters. So, here is Times of Change. Anyone who has read Young Slayers, you will have already read the first two chapters. This takes place a couple of months after the that.   
  
CHAPTER 1   
  
Giles awoke with a start. What on earth was that noise? It sounded like someone banging on the front door, but it was the middle of the night. Who would be calling at this time? What could be so important that it couldn't wait until the morning?  
  
He stiffened. Perhaps it was a demon, come to lure them to their deaths while they were tired and disorientated? Some demons had been known to do that, after all.   
  
Giles couldn't help smiling wryly at that thought. He did not wake well. The thought that it could be a demon was simply illogical. Whatever was at the door couldn't possibly be demonic in nature. Traverston had alarm wards surrounding it, which would go off if anything demonic tried to cross.  
  
Giles staggered out of bed. It was probably one of the other Watchers, wanting help with a sick girl or something similar. Any time something happened to one of the Potentials living in Traverston it almost always seemed to fall to him to sort it out. Since he was the one with the most experience with children, the others expected him to know what to do in situations that they were uncomfortable with.   
  
What awaited him at the door was no Watcher, and definitely not a demon. It was two young girls: a young teenager and a child of around five. And the elder of the two looked awfully familiar, although she had changed much since he had seen her last.   
  
It was his niece, his little brother's daughter. He was certain of it. There was no mistaking her, even though it had been six years since he had seen her. She had been seven then, so she must now be thirteen. She had grown a lot, and her hair had lightened from a light brown to blond, but her features remained the same.   
  
"Anya! What are you doing here?" he asked her, "has something happened to your parents?" His heart trembled at that thought. He didn't think he could bear it if something had happened to his baby brother. He may not have been able to see them for six years, due to his Watcher duties, but that did not mean he didn't care for them. Giles would feel terrible if something had happened and he hadn't been told.   
  
Anya shook her head. "Nope, they're both fine. We just figured it was time someone came to visit you, since you're stuck here with only girls and other stuffy, tweed wearing people for company. We thought you would like to see us."   
  
Giles sighed. Obviously the girl hadn't learnt much tact since he'd seen her last. She still said things exactly as she saw them. "That's all well and good," he told her, "But couldn't you have waited until the morning?" he was still puzzled as to the timing of her visit.   
  
He sent an inquisitive glance at his niece's companion. 'And who might you be?" he asked her. He was sure he had never seen the child before, although he thought he could see some slight familial resemblances. But surely he would have been told if Lily had had another daughter?   
  
The little girl glared at him. "I don't wanna talk to you. I wanna go home. This place smells funny" She stomped her foot and turned on Anya. "Ahn wan' mum and dad!"   
  
Anya scowled down at the child. "Be quiet Darla," she said. "You are the one who wanted to come with me in the first place. No one made you."   
  
She rolled her eyes and turned to Giles, effectively blocking out the temper tantrum that Darla was having with an experience that obviously came from years of practice. "That's Darla, mum had her since we saw you last. Remember, I told you in the card I sent you, like a year after you moved."   
  
Giles winced. That explained why he hadn't known. Anya's writing had literally been a scrawl the last time he had received a letter from her. He had hardly been able to make out anything. Obviously he had missed an incredibly important piece of writing.   
  
Then the fact that he was an uncle again dawned on him. What a nice surprise that was. He went over and scooped the thunder- faced child up into his arms. "Hi there" he said. "It's nice to meet you Darla."   
  
She wriggled in his arms until he let her go. "No! Not nice!" she screamed.   
  
Giles looked at Anya. "Whatever is the matter with the child?" he asked. "I thought you just said that she wanted to come?"   
  
"She did" Anya told him. "She just likes being a brat. I didn't want to bring her, but she didn't want to go with mum and dad." Anya fell silent. Whoops. She shouldn't have said that. Now he'd know that her parents had gone somewhere. She knew it would be too much to ask that   
  
"Did not want to go with your parents where?" Giles asked sharply. His niece did dot answer him. "Anya!" he snapped, "There is something you are not telling me. What is it?"   
  
"Mum and dad gone to France" Darla piped up. "Anya an' me came here because we didn't wanna."   
  
"Mum and dad said they were going to tell you" Anya stuck in quickly. "They said it was okay, honest."   
  
Giles glowered at her. "Anya, if wherever your parents are has a phone number, give it to me now. And come with me, you two need to get some sleep."   
  
Anya sulkily recited a number for him and he wrote it down.   
  
Anya scowled down at Darla again. If it hadn't been for the kid she could have held off her uncle for at least a couple of days. She was really starting to wish she'd just left the brat behind when she'd came.   
  
Giles led his two nieces into his room. He pointed to his bed. "Sleep" he ordered Darla. "You can have the settee" he told Anya, "or you can share the bed with your sister. I really don't mind. Just get some rest"   
  
He left the girls to sort it out. He had a much larger problem to sort out. Their very presence here. He was fairly sure that Jeff and Lily had no idea where their daughters had disappeared to. They must be frantic.   
  
They were. Jeff answered the phone almost immediately with a cry of "Anya?" and then a groan of frustration when Giles told him who it really was. Giles was pained to hear his younger brother sound so upset, so he hastened to tell Jeff that both girls were safe and with him.   
  
"Oh, thank god, Rupert" Jeff said. "They've been gone for almost a week. We have the police out looking for them and everything."   
  
Giles was astonished at how far the two children had travelled to get to him. He was so glad he'd included his address with the last Christmas card he'd sent. Otherwise, who knew where the two would have headed.   
  
"You know, they really don't wish to go with you and Lily to France" Giles told his brother. "Perhaps we should let them stay here, for a few months at least. Perhaps they will eventually decide that they miss you and will want to join you over there."   
  
"I... I just don't know," Jeff told him, a little shakily. "I realise how serious they are about this, how much it obviously means to them. But... I don't know if I can stand living without them."   
  
Giles sighed. To him, that sounded a very selfish reason for wanting the children. The extreme measures Anya had taken to get here, he could only guess that meant she wanted to stay here for a while. God knows, he wouldn't mind. He had missed out on enough of her life, and all of Darla's, as it was. If they could stay here with him it would give him a chance to catch up.   
  
Giles heard his brother sigh over the telephone receiver. "Oh Rupert, maybe you're right. Maybe they should stay, for a while at least. If you really don't mind."   
  
It was obvious that his brother had been quietly discussing things with Lily, and that they had reached an agreement.   
  
"Alright" Giles agreed. "It's settled then. "I'll tell the girls in the morning." Looking at his watch he realised it was morning. "Or afternoon, as the case may be"   
  
Giles bid farewell to Jeff, wishing him a safe trip. Walking into his room he found the two sisters curled up on the bed together, Anya with a protective arm around her smaller sister.   
  
He sighed. How them staying here was going to go, he wasn't sure he wanted to know. He just hoped he had made the right decision.   
  
Authors note: Tyanks to Gidgetgirl for the Anya/Darla thing, and I hope I haven't lost my reviewers by changing the title and everything. I'll tell you though, I have a lot of fics on the go, and the ones with the most reviews are the ones that get reviewed faster. So please review as you would if this was still Young Slayers, or more, if possible :) 


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: All characters off Buffy the Vampire Slayer belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant enemy and who ever and whatever else they belong to.   
  
Authors note: Posting this at the same time as chapter one as it was already written. Not a lot for me to say, except I hope everyone enjoys this  
  
CHAPTER 2  
  
Giles fixed the elder of his two nieces with a glare. He may have made it possible for her to get her way, but she was still in trouble for running away. It was very irresponsible of her, yet she didn't seem to care. He had been trying to tell her how misguided she had been, but she had just scowled at him defiantly.   
  
"I suppose you're going to say that we have to go back," Anya said sulkily. "Well, I'm not going to. If you try to make me... I'll just go someplace else. There's no way I'm going to move to France."   
  
Giles put a hand on her shoulder to stop her flow of words. She looked up at him, a gleam of hope in her eyes. He softened his glare and smiled reassuringly.  
  
"I'm not making you go home" he told her "I've talked to your parents, and they've agreed to let you both stay here with me, for a time at least"   
  
Anya grinned, and punched the air. "Yes!" she said happily. "I knew you'd persuade them! Thanks uncle Rupert!"   
  
Giles reaffixed his glare, this time half in jest. "Am I to understand that you were playing me young lady?" he asked in exaggerated indignation. "Perhaps I ought to ring your parents and tell them I don't want you after all?"   
  
Anya stuck her tongue out at him. "You wouldn't do that to me" she told him. "You love me too much"   
  
Giles rolled his eyes. She was correct in that response. He had always loved his cheerful, blunt niece, and often regretted that his work had not allowed him to see her more often.   
  
Suddenly a thumping of footsteps sounded behind Giles' back. "No running in the house!" he called, not bothering to look around. "And don't stick your tongue out at people" he told Anya "It's not at all ladylike"   
  
His niece grinned at him. "Good thing that I'm not a lady then" she told Giles. "I'm still just a girl."  
  
Giles cocked his head to one side. "Oh? Here was me thinking you'd gone and grown up on me." He said. "Never mind, it's easier this way, if you're a just a girl you wont mind sharing with a bunch of six year old girls, will you?"   
  
Anya looked at him with a puzzled look. "Six year olds? I thought those Potentials living around here were like my age, or a little younger? And who's that?" the last was said with a gesture towards Giles' side.   
  
Giles looked down and was surprised to see Faith standing there. "Oh, good morning" he greeted her. "I didn't even realise you were there"   
  
She grinned at him. "I'm good at sneaking," she said proudly. "Wesley says I'm so quiet I'm like a kitty." She paused, a slightly puzzled look coming over her face. "But kitties are always yowling, whenever I pick them up to cuddle them. That's not quiet at all."   
  
"I think Wesley might mean like a cat when it's stalking something" Giles explained. "Not when they are getting unwanted attention." All of the children in his care seemed to have a strange fascination for cats. There were several living around the town, and most of the time he could find at least one of them around his lot.   
  
He suddenly remembered that Anya had asked him a question. "Sorry dear" he said. "This is Faith, she's one of a number of young children who live here with me and another Watcher, Wesley."   
  
"Little kids?" Anya said. "Since when have you had kids living with you? I thought it was just you here. You never mentioned any kids, other than that Buffy, but I figured she'd be in with the other Potentials."   
  
"Buffy is here also" Giles told her. "The council deemed her too young to accommodate with the other girls, and as I am her guardian, she lives here with me."   
  
"Okay" Anya said, still looking confused. "But what's with Faith here, and the others you mentioned?"   
  
Giles wasn't entirely sure of that himself. He had just ended up in charge of them all. It had just happened, not been something planned.   
  
"Well, since I had Buffy here, when others around here age were discovered they were also assigned to my care. Then, any time since, whenever any young child has come here they have been sent to me, or later Wesley."  
  
Anya nodded. "Makes sense I guess," she said. "Why waste Watchers when you can dump them all on just a couple?"   
  
Giles rolled his eyes. Fine, not the nicest of explanations, but it would do.   
  
"Faith, will you please go and fetch everyone else?" he requested. "There are a couple of people I would like you all to meet."   
  
"Anya, can you go get Darla?" he asked. There, that covered everyone, and meant that he could figure out how he was going to explain this. Wesley probably was not going to be impressed with the appearance of two more girls in the middle of the night.   
  
Although the younger Watcher had become notably more relaxed, he still believed in sticking to the rules. And that meant getting permission from the council for any visitors who were staying for an extended length of time. Giles knew that he was going to have to fill out the paperwork, but he would rather do t in his own time, not have a nervous Wesley hounding him because protocol was not being adhered to.   
  
Of course, Wesley did not mean to be so stiff to the rules. As Giles knew, obeying guidelines was drilled into you from birth, if you were born into a Watchers family. His own rebellious period as Ripper had allowed him to see that the correct way was not always the best way, but Wesley had never had that experience. In fact, in Giles' views, Wesley had had very little experience full stop.   
  
But he had a good heart. Giles had been seeing that more and more over recent months. Wesley had softened much, and the children were becoming more and more fond of him. Finding one of them cuddled in his arms really was not an unusual occurrence anymore. The children had begun seeking comfort from Wes, as they had used to seek it from him when they were upset. He was not completely certain if that was good, but he was happy that the younger man was having a chance to experience the sweetness Buffy and the others could show, instead of just dealing with the aftermath of their pranks.   
  
But still, he insisted on adhering to the rules. And that could be awfully annoying when Giles wanted to bend them just a little.   
  
When everyone had gathered in the living room Giles beckoned to both of his nieces, and they came to stand beside him.   
  
"Everyone, I'd like you to meet my nieces, Darla and Anya" he told them. "They are both going to be staying for a while, and I hope that you will all get along."   
  
"Why's Anya so old?" A small voice piped up "She's not our age."   
  
Giles smiled inwardly. So observant of Xander. "She just happens to be older that you" he said to the boy. "Not everyone can be six, there has to be older children, like the other Potentials." Come to think of it, getting Anya to be friends with some of said Potentials would probably be a good idea. He doubted that she would want to hang around with a bunch of six year olds for a few months.   
  
Wesley drew Giles aside quietly. "Giles, you know the rules about visitors," he said. "You need to get them approved, and since you did not tell me these two were coming, I presume they are not."   
  
Giles rolled his eyes. Yep, this was planning out just as he had thought. "Yes Wes, I know, but this is a special circumstance" he explained. "They came to me for help. What was I supposed to do? Turn them away because I haven't filled out a few forms?"   
  
Wesley looked thoughtful. "I suppose that would not be an acceptable thing to do," he said. "After all, one must look after family."   
  
Giles nodded. He agreed thoroughly with that sentiment. Your family were those you cared for; that was a large part of what made them family. That was why a few forms didn't matter to him. He had to take care of his family, even if it meant bending the rules.   
  
Authors note: alright people, you know the drill. Or if you don't: review and I'll eventually update. Don't, and well, you'll have to wait and see. If I have time I might, otherwise... 


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: All characters from BtVS and Angel are the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant enemy, etc  
  
Authors note: Sorry this has taken a while for me to update. I've had writers block on all my stories for about a month. So this chapter has been sitting around half written. Anyway, I seem to have lost pretty much everyone who was reading YS, but I'm continuing this anyway, and I hope I get some readers back with the change in summary.   
  
CHAPTER 3:  
  
Darla threw herself at Buffy, putting all her weight behind it. She was going to win this time. She had never yet managed to get the Potential to admit defeat, but today she was going to pin her to the ground until she cried mercy.   
  
Buffy and Darla had begun fighting almost as soon as they had met. The two had just taken a distinct dislike to each other at first sight. No one had quite figured out why, but each seemed to enjoy antagonising the other, and provoking attacks. Darla had not yet prevailed in one of these battles, but she sure was trying.   
  
Buffy had the advantage of speed, strength and training. Darla was younger, but slightly larger. And both were as stubborn as the other. When the adults weren't trying to break things up, they were marvelling at just how similar the two could be at times.   
  
Buffy grinned mockingly at Darla, and sidestepped her attack. The younger girl had no time to regain her balance before Buffy stuck out her foot, sending Darla flying head first into the ground.   
  
Buffy stuck her tongue out at Darla. Served her right. She should stop picking fights. She never won after all.   
  
Buffy knew she wasn't supposed to fight with Darla, since she wasn't a Potential and Giles had told her that fighting with people other that Watchers and Potentials was not allowed. But Darla had started it. She had said that Willow was stupid, 'cause she'd stuffed up a spell a little. Willow was Buffy's best friend, and no one was allowed to pick on her friends.   
  
So Buffy had pushed Darla. And then Darla had started attacking her, when she hadn't done anything but stand up for Willow. It was just stupid. Darla should have figured out by now that Buffy was a better fighter than her.   
  
Giles was gonna be mad when he found out she'd fought with Darla again. He didn't like it when any of them fought. But he really didn't like it when she and Darla did. Just 'cause she was his niece. It wasn't fair. Sometimes she thought he liked Darla better than her.   
  
Buffy jumped as a hand landed on her shoulder. She leapt around in fright to find Angel behind her. And he did not look happy. In fact, the hand that was not on her shoulder was on his hip. And he was wearing the classic "pissed off grown-up" look that every grown up she knew gave her just before they started telling her off.   
  
She sent her most cute and innocent look at the vampire. "She started it" Buffy exclaimed, pointing down at Darla, who was still sprawled on the floor. "She was picking on Willow!"  
  
"I don't care who started it" Angel said sternly "you know that you're stronger than Darla, and you've been told not to fight, haven't you?"  
  
Angel was crumbling inwardly at the look Buffy was giving him. But he couldn't just stand by and let her actually hurt someone weaker than her, even if she was unlikely to do so seriously on purpose. He was, after all, an adult. But it was still so hard to tell off when she was so cute. But little Darla was obviously the loser in this. It just wasn't fair of Buffy to hurt someone who had no real abilities in fighting or defending herself. What had come over her since Darla had moved here? Giles' niece seemed to bring out the worst in his little friend.   
  
Buffy stared up at Angel. He sounded like a real adult! That hardly ever happened. He must be really annoyed with her. Maybe she'd better act sorry, even though it hadn't been her fault. She didn't like Angel being mad at her.   
  
Angel was relieved as the look on Buffy's face changed from defiance to contriteness. Obviously he had managed to get through to her. Thank God, because he didn't think he could have kept up the sternness much longer. He just wasn't able to resist that child for long.   
  
"Don't you have something to say to Darla," he prompted.   
  
Buffy pouted up at Angel "Do I have to?" she whined.  
  
He gave her a Look. "Yes you do," he told her firmly. "Hitting other people is not on"   
  
Buffy pouted for a moment longer, but then turned to Darla, offering her a hand up. "Sorry I pushed you over" she said, not really meaning it.   
  
"'S ok Buffy" Darla said, just as falsely.  
  
Angel frowned at the pair. They just weren't trying to get along. And Buffy was normally so friendly. What was it about Darla that made her all defensive?   
  
An idea suddenly struck him, and it was one he didn't like one little bit. Darla was Giles' niece, the daughter of his brother. And Giles was the closest thing Buffy had to a father. Could the child possibly be feeling left out?   
  
He would have to discuss this with Giles. Angel doubted that Giles would ever purposely favour Darla over Buffy. He loved both of the children, and anyone who knew him could see that.   
  
But Angel had noticed that Giles seemed to side more often with Darla, but had dismissed it. After all, Buffy did almost always seem to be the one who started these fights. He had never once seen Darla do any of the things that Buffy insisted she did, the things Buffy claimed had sparked the fight. Although, he had not been able to figure why Buffy would want to make things up. She'd never been the type to lie just to get others into trouble.   
  
"Buffy, Giles was looking for you," Angle said, suddenly remembering the reason he'd been looking for the child in the first place.   
  
Buffy wrinkled her nose. Uh oh. That probably meant that he'd discovered that she'd been playing with the weapons without his permission again. The glaive was just so fun. It wasn't fair that he hardly ever let her use it.   
  
"He wanted you as soon as possible," Angel prompted.  
  
Buffy was fed up. What was it with the adults and her today? But she'd better go. If she didn't Giles would just get more annoyed.   
  
She headed towards home, pausing for a moment to glare at Darla who seemed rather smug at this new development.   
  
It just was not her day.   
  
Authors note: Okay, yes, Darla's being a little brat and rather sly at the moment. But I need her to be like this for a reason. I can't have two people who were enemies on the show just suddenly connect and be friends. At this point I don't think that's ever going to happen, since I just can't imagine those two getting along. But Buffy will sort out her feelings in the next couple of chapters, so I'm not leaving her being the under-dog to Darla. Anyway, I hope at least some of you guys are still enjoying this fic. 


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: As everyone is no doubt fully aware, none of these characters belong to me.   
  
Authors note: I know I've lost many of the readers of Young Slayers, but this fic is building up it's own readers, a fact which I am very glad of. Also, please those of you who are reading this, realise that chapters are few and far between because I am in my final year of High School this year, which means a full-on workload. I'm updating this and all my other fics as frequently as I can. Thank you to those people who have taken the time to review and tell me your ideas and views on this story. Oh and guys, it is a year since I first started Young Slayers! Hence the posting of the chapter today. Sorry, had to tell y'all although you probably aren't bothered to know that.   
  
CHAPTER 4  
  
Giles sighed impatiently. Wherever were those children? They all knew full well that their academic lessons started promptly at 11am. Yet he had only half his supposed class in attendance. The rest were getting downright irresponsible about showing up. He just could not seem to keep them interested in learning; they much preferred to avoid him and his teachings in favour of playing, or weapons training in the case of his two absent Potential students.   
  
Tara, Kendra, Willow and Xander were in attendance on time, as indeed they usually were. But there was no sign of Faith, Buffy, Darla or Oz. Darla he was slightly surprised about. She generally showed up on time, or only a little late. The other three however seemed to have absolutely no respect for the acquirement of knowledge, and no wish to learn anything of reading, writing or mathematics. Granted, Oz was a year older, which gave him slight excuse to miss lessons that focused on things he had already learnt, but the other two had no such excuse. And Darla, being younger yet, needed these times to reach the level of the others. He did not know where on Earth his niece could be.   
  
Giles was beginning to despair of Buffy, Faith and Oz ever learning to accept that some knowledge was a part of life, and that some things needed to be learned. He hoped Darla was not heading down that path as well. Her parents would not be pleased if when their daughter returned to them she had been allowed to neglect her studies.   
  
It seemed unlikely that any of his missing students were going to appear. He had waited long enough, and the four who had shown up were beginning to get impatient. No doubt the others would show up in the evening, claiming they had lost track of time, or forgotten that they were to have lessons today. No longer did he believe those weak excuses; he had heard them so often over the past few months.   
  
Giles was starting to think that the only chance he had of getting all his students successfully to each lesson he planned was confining them all to the house until he had finished with them for the day. But that would not be a pleasant experience, having eight young, energetic children to handle. And knowing his charges, they'd figure out a way to avoid the lessons even then.   
  
He was about to just give in waiting and just forge ahead with his half class when a red-faced, out of breath Darla arrived. It was painfully obvious that she had recently come into contact with a hard object, most likely someone's fist. The blood that was streaming from her nose made that all too clear.   
  
Giles rushed over to his niece and crouched down in front of her, checking that there was nothing seriously hurt. "What happened?" he demanded in concern. If this had been Buffy's doing he was going to be having some very stern words with her. He had told her off only a week before for fighting with his niece. And that had been far from the first time. He did not understand at all what it was about Darla that caused Buffy to be such a little bully. His niece was a sweet little thing, most of the time, at least.   
  
The only reason that made any sense to him was the one that Angel had raised with him, a few months ago. The possibility that Buffy could be jealous of the blood-bond that he shared with Darla. She was after all only a child, and could not understand just how much Giles cared for her. Giles had considered that possibility, and found it to be the most likely he could think of. So he had been careful to spend plenty of time with Buffy, to reassure her that he had not forgotten her simply because his two nieces were now living with them. But no improvements in Buffy's interactions with Darla had occurred. In fact, their conflicts seemed to be becoming more frequent.   
  
Darla stared at Giles with her deep, presently upset looking eyes. "Faith hit me" she sniffled pitifully.   
  
Giles had not expected that. Faith had improved her restraint remarkably, and it was not common for her to lose her temper. And as far as he had ever seen, Faith was quite indifferent to Darla, neither friendly nor mean. There must surely be a reason behind this.   
  
"Why'd she do that?" he asked. He was reassured that the only injury Darla had sustained was the blood nose, and now he wanted to get to the bottom of this little mystery.   
  
Darla shrugged. "I don't know," she said. "I was just talking to her an' she went all crazy an' punched me. Then she ran away. I dunno where she went after that. But she was cryin'."  
  
This was becoming stranger the more Darla told him. Faith seldom cried. She was a tough little thing. He knew of only one thing that really upset her anymore, and surely there was no reason Darla could have been on that topic?   
  
"Darla, you weren't by any chance asking her something about her family were you?" Giles asked.   
  
He had not thought to warn Darla and Anya that family was a topic best steered clear of around here. Probably none of the children had thought to tell them either. To them, it was just not something anyone wanted to talk about.   
  
Darla looked at him, eyes wide. "I jus' asked how come her parents never came to visit" she said, "I didn't expect her to get so mad!"   
  
Darla didn't get why her uncle seemed so bothered by this. What was the big deal about Faith's family? She had just been curious, because no one had said that Faith's parents were dead like Buffy, Willow, Oz and Xander's. Or that her parents had agreed to let her be trained; like Kendra's. And she'd seen Tara's dad come to visit a couple times. So she wondered what was up with Faith's family, and why she never ever seemed to talk about them.   
  
Giles groaned under his breath. Damn Faith's mother for treating her daughter the ways she had, before the Council had got custody. The woman had never wanted the child, and so had never cared for her properly. A child just didn't fit into a lifestyle of drugs and drink. Faith had been a sad sight when he had first met her. She had improved out of sight in the time he had been caring for her, but she still had mental scarring, and a strong pain for the topic of family.   
  
"Faith's mother wasn't very nice to her," Giles explained gently to his niece. "She doesn't like to be reminded of it, and it makes her very upset when people mention it."   
  
That was an extreme understatement, but he was not going to explain to a five-year-old child what the full extent of Faith's early life had been. It had been terrible that one had had to live it, there was no use inflicting the full story on another child. Not to mention that his brother would kill him for traumatising his youngest child.   
  
"Oops" Darla said, truly feeling contrite. She really hadn't meant to make Faith mad, and she certainly hadn't meant for Faith to hit her. Her nose hurt kinda bad now. She had nothing against Faith and she sort of even admired the Potential. She certainly liked her a lot more than she did Buffy.   
  
"It's alright," Giles said, quick to reassure his niece, "It never occurred to me to warn you and your sister off the subject."   
  
"Do you know where Buffy and Oz are?" he asked, remembering that Faith wasn't the only child missing from his little group.   
  
"They ran off after Faith," Darla said with a shrug, "I guess they're still with her."   
  
Giles was relieved to hear that. He knew what Faith could be like when she got upset. Having two of her friends with her should help her. But still, he should go and find her, and soon.   
  
It looked like his class was going to have to wait until the next day. This was certainly more important. He knew that it would still be possible to teach them tomorrow. If he didn't talk to Faith things could go badly.   
  
"Alright children, you can have the day off," he said with a sigh. Hopefully he would have a full class the next time. But for now, he had better find Faith.   
  
Authors note: Next chapter will take up more or less where this left off. Please, those of you who are reading this, take a little time to tell me what you think, and any ideas you may have for improvements. 


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: All characters from the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, were created by Joss Whedon, and are only being used by me to have a little fun with the oddness of AU Universes.

Author's Note: I was reading through this, and through Young Slayers, and there were ideas bouncing into my head, so I decided to have a go at continuing it – I can find potential (no pun intended) in what I wrote years ago, setting up for an actual plot, so I shall try and build on it. Although, there should be less spelling mistakes now.

Chapter 5.

Buffy Summers was crouched on the ground, peering under the porch of one of the more grand houses in Traverston. Usually, this would indicate there was a kitten, or some equally fluffy small animal under there, but not today. Though under there for a similar reason – hiding from the prying eyes and interference of young children – Faith was not fluffy, nor an animal. She was however rather small, but that rather came with the territory of being 6 years old. She was also currently crying, which was rather disconcerting to Buffy – Faith would usually rather cut off her own arm than cry when there was anyone around.

"Go 'way," Faith sniffled. Didn't running off indicate that you wanted to be on your own? She had always figured it did – she always left the others alone when they ran off upset, so she thought that it would have been nice if they'd returned the favour.

"No way… not when you're crying!" Buffy replied indignantly, crawling further under the porch, "Come on Faith. You can't hide from Darla! She's a dummy! You should just hit her again!" Whatever had prompted this weird behaviour in Faith, Buffy wasn't letting it keep up, "Come out, and we can go get her together." This seemed like a very sensible idea to Buffy. There was something about Giles' niece that just made her want to get mean.

"Not hiding from Darla," Faith said quietly, "Leave me 'lone – don't want you here."

Buffy straightened up, putting her hands on her hips – and forgetting that she was in a confined space until she whacked her head on the underside of the porch. Hard. At which point she let out a wail and fell over again. "Owwwwww," she moaned "Look what you made me do, Faith! Now I gonna get a lump!" Not that this was anything new to Buffy – she was a Potential after all – but it was one's right to complain when you were trying to help your friends and they wouldn't let you.

Faith's response was to crawl further into the darkness with another soft "Leave me 'lone, Buffy – just go 'way and leave me 'lone," over her shoulder. She didn't want to cry in front of her friend, and right now she really _needed_ to cry. She knew it was weak, and that she was being a baby, but Darla's unmeaning questioning had dredged up bad memories for the little Potential – and sometimes the only way to make herself feel better from those memories was to sob her heart out, until the hurt drowned under her tears. For a while, at least.

Shrugging, Buffy backed out from under the porch. If Faith was going to be a poopy-head about this, there wasn't much she could do. And though Buffy wasn't quite sure what exactly Darla had said to Faith, she was going to go and find out. She nodded her head decisively. She would find out what Darla had said, and then make her say sorry to Faith. And if that meant she got to punch Darla in the process, well, all the better. Even if Giles had said she shouldn't anymore. And Angel. And Wes. And Willow, Kendra, Xander and Oz. Faith didn't really seem to have an opinion on the matter, and Anya pretty much ignored what the 'babies' were up to, preferring to spend her time with the Potentials closer to her own age.

She started purposefully back towards the house that the little gang of hellions called their own. And got about halfway there before stalking headlong into a rather tall, heavy figure. Which let out a rather loud "Ooooof" and took a few steps backwards, before looking at Buffy in surprise.

"Where are you going in such a hurry?" Giles asked, crouching down to Buffy's level, and tilting her head to look him in the eyes. He recognised the set of her jaw, and it was one that usually turned out to be quite dangerous for whoever had annoyed her. He had an inkling of just who that might be in this case – Buffy could be very protective of her friends when she wanted to be, and from what Darla had said, Faith would currently be hurting quite badly, which would not sit well with Buffy.

"No-where," Buffy lied, unconvincingly. She found herself scooped up and carried towards a nearby bench, and dumped unceremoniously onto it, where she couldn't help but look Giles in the eyes.

"Try again. And try the truth this time. You know better than to lie to me, Buffy Anne Summers." Giles fixed his charge with his sternest glare. And could have sworn that he _heard_ her gulp.

"I… just... gonna ask Darla what she said to Faith," Buffy said, stumbling a little as she thought up something that was close to the truth, but not quite the _whole_ truth. She hated it when her easygoing, gentle guardian got like this – and when her middle name came into it, she _knew_ she was in trouble if she didn't watch out.

"Uh huh," Giles said, knowingly. Somehow he doubted there was going to be any 'just asking' about what Buffy had planned, "Well, how about you come and show me where Faith is, instead. I know what Darla said to Faith, and she didn't mean to upset her." He could kick himself now for not telling his nieces to avoid the subject of family around Faith. It was one of very few things that could throw her volatile nature spinning. The child had calmed down considerably since he had first met her, nearly two years ago now, but God only knew what damage had been done to her up until that point. The Watcher who had discovered her had been horrified, and refused to say exactly what conditions he had found her in, but Giles had gathered, both from what hearsay he had heard, and from the whimpering that Faith did while having nightmares, that things had been done to her that should never be done to a child.

He scooped Buffy up again, and was quite surprised when she snuggled into his shoulder. She hadn't done that for quite some time. But then, come to think of it, he hadn't spent any time just with her for a while – there always seemed to be at least one of the other children around.

"Buffy?" he said, probing softly, "Why do you keep hurting Darla? It's not because you think she is trying to take me away, is it?"

Buffy snuggled in harder, shaking her head against him, and he could feel that she meant it. "Nope. You my Giles. No-one ever take you away from me." Grown ups could be so silly sometimes. "Just don't like Darla. Don't know why."

Giles smiled a little in relief. He would get to the bottom of that little mystery, but for now there were more pressing concerns, "Okay… where's Faith?"

"She doesn't want people there," Buffy told him, lifting her head to gaze at him, "She told me to go away. I think she's crying. That's not right. Faith doesn't cry."

Buffy couldn't remember when Faith had first come to live with them, but Giles knew full well that, back then, Faith certainly had cried. There had been a time when he was not entirely sure that she would ever be able to _stop_ crying. Until she had locked things so deeply inside herself that no-one could access them. Which Giles was almost certain was worse than her crying – only when she was asleep, did the pain and the fears rear their heads. But there was no need for Buffy to know that, if she could not remember.

"Everyone needs to cry sometimes, Buffy," he instead told his small charge, "And Darla accidentally said something to Faith that hurt her. It wasn't Darla's fault though – she didn't know."

"You always say that ig'rance isn't an excuse!" Buffy pointed out, determined to have at least this small victory.

Giles shook his head, biting back a smile, "In this case, it is – and you usually know full well what rules you're breaking, young lady. You just like to think you can pull the wool over my eyes by saying no-body told you about them." He dug a finger lightly into her ribs, tickling, "Now, where is Faith?"

Buffy pointed towards the big house just ahead of them – the home of one of the more senior Watchers, retired from active duty. Not that that meant anything to Buffy – to her it was just a fancy looking house. "She crawled under the porch!"

Giles sighed. Faith always had had rather a penchant for small, dark spaces when she was upset. It made it all the more difficult to comfort the poor chid. Giles was many things. Compact enough to fit in the same spaces as a 6-year-old was not one of them. "Do you think you can get her to come out?"

"Nope. She doesn't wanna," Buffy said, quite certain this was the truth of the matter. Besides, it was more fun to make Giles go crawling around in the dirt – he always got the most funny exasperated look on his face, like he didn't know whether to cuddle or murder whoever was causing him to do so.

The Watcher set Buffy back on her feet. "Okay. I think Faith and I need to have a little talk on our own, okay? Go find the others and play. But _do not_ give Darla any trouble, or I _will_ hear about it, and you will _not_ like the results. Do you understand?"

Buffy nodded cheerfully, and trotted off in the direction of the house. Giles was all bluff most of the time anyway! But she might be nice for now – he seemed a little upset about Faith, and it seemed kinda mean to make him mad on top of that. She could play nice for a little while, just until Faith was feeling better, at least.

Once she was out of earshot, Giles groaned softly, and crouched down to peer into the darkness under the porch, "Faith? Can you hear me? Come out of there, please."

"Don't wanna," a soft voice answered him, through sniffles,from what seemed like awfully far under the porch.

"It's not safe," Giles pointed out, keeping his voice low and gentle, "Come out here, and you can tell me what's wrong, and I'll see if I can help, okay?"

The sniffling seemed a little closer now, and Giles thought that he could just make out the outline of a small figure, huddled miserably in the dimness. "That's my girl, just a little bit further out, Faith?"

This time he could definitely see a small head, shaking vehemently, "It's safe under here. They can't get me."

Giles' heart broke at that, "Oh, Faith. They can't get you. They will _never_ be able to get you again – I would never let them." It seemed that just thinking about her family had brought back the terrors and the fears – the child had been thrown back into those terrible, terrible times. How one simple question from a fellow child had managed all that, well, he wasn't sure, but Faith's memories were obviously closer to the surface than he had ever guessed.

"Promise?" Faith looked out at Giles, her brown eyes glistening with tears. She didn't know quite what was wrong – she had been dreaming bad dreams last night, and then today, Darla had asked about her family, and things had rushed into her head. Terrible things, that she had never wanted to remember. And she had needed to hide. But now Giles was here, and he said it was all right. And Giles had never, ever lied to her. So, she crept a bit closer to him, inch by inch, until his welcoming arms folded her to his chest, and scooped her up, close to his body.

Holding the child close to him, and murmuring quiet, comforting words in her ear, Giles walked back towards the house, glad that the other children seemed to have gone elsewhere to play. Faith needed him alone for a little while, he knew, and he just hoped that he could help to at least patch over the hole that had appeared in her heart again. He took them both into his own bedroom – the most private place in the house – and set Faith down gently on the bed, before firmly closing the door, clicking the lock to keep out any unwanted miniature visitors. Then he sat, and pulled Faith into his lap, cuddling her gently, until the words that she needed to say rushed out of her mouth, as if trying to escape.

And he listened. As he would, for however long it took to help this child to understand that she could not help what had been done to her. For however long it took to help her feel safe again.

Even if it took her whole life, he would be here to listen, to love, to help.


End file.
